Tag Archives: pattern

Timaru- Yarn Fun with Bamboo

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In the world of yarn there can be many really exotic fibers, but at the end of the day we all usually fall back to the most affordable and common. That is why it is a treat to come across a yarn that offers so much to a design, and can take the basic to extraordinary.

One of these extraordinary yarns is Timaru from Lisa Souza Dyeworks. It is a fingering weight yarn that is comprised of 65% Superwash Merino and 35% Rayon of Bamboo. It has a very generous 500 yards per 100 gram hanks, so it goes a long way.

Timaru....www.lindadeancrochet.com

Timaru by Lisa Souza Dyeworks Merino with Bamboo yarn

The Superwash Merino ensures that this yarn is going to be soft, and can have some warmth, as well as being treated so that it does not felt or shrink. Merino is a great wool, but it is not what makes this yarn so special, in this case it is the Bamboo.

The bamboo in this yarn indicates that it is a Rayon, this means that the bamboo is made into a pulp, using the leaves, and some stem. It is ground down and added to a chemical bath to create “goo”. If you ever made homemade paper, it is a little similar. This pulp is then extruded through small holes to create a long filament. Another name you can find for bamboo processed this way is Viscose.

The way it comes together in Timaru with the Superwash Merino lends itself to a yarn with a great drape. Bamboo gives a cool touch to this yarn, so it makes it very warm weather friendly. It also does not take the dye the same as the wool (a protein fiber, whereas the bamboo is a cellulous fiber), this causes a really beautiful lustrous sheen.

I can easily see this yarn worked up as a shawl, a wrap, a tank top…I even know people that love it as a sock yarn. It has a great amount of versatility without sacrificing its integrity in any project. It might actually be difficult to find a project that this yarn will not shine in.

Waffle Stitch- Crochet For a Difference

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I started sharing Crochet For a Difference to help myself stay in touch with how my craft can benefit my community. For several years of my life I worked public service, I knew every day that I made a difference in someone’s life. Some days it may have been a small difference, other days I knew it was a life changing experience, however when I began my new adventure in crochet designing this is one of the things that has been missing, knowing I made a difference.

Today I share a go-to stitch that I use. Often I use it for garment construction, as it is a nice solid fabric, which does not offer defined straight visual lines or many holes. I have heard it referred to as a Waffle Stitch, so that is how I will refer to it here.

It is a 2 stitch repeat that alternates a between a single crochet and double crochet stitches, with subsequent rows working single crochet stitches in the double crochet stitches, and double crochet stitches working into single crochet stitches. This may sound a little daunting, but it really becomes a simple rhythm.

Waffle Stitch....www.lindadeancrochet.com

Waffle Stitch

Begin by chaining an even number of stitches, then single crochet in the 4th chain from the hook (the chain 3 counts as a double crochet), double crochet in the next stitch, and single crochet in the following stitch; repeat this stitch pattern across. Turn your work and chain 3, working a single crochet in the next stitch (which will be a double crochet), double crochet in the next stitch (which will be a single crochet); repeat the same stitch pattern across.

Essentially in a pattern it would look like this:

Row 1: chain an even number of stitches, sc in 4th ch from hook, [dc in next st, sc in next st] across, turn.

Row 2: Ch 3, sc in next st, [dc in next st, sc in next st] across, turn.

Repeat Row 2 until desired length.

I think this is a great stitch pattern for a donation to your local animal shelter, (find yours here). They often accept donations for small blankets for dogs and cats to use as bedding. This is a great way to practice a new stitch, that the recipients are not going to be overly judgmental about.

Love This Spa Mat!

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I love it when beauty, practicality, and comfort all come together in a design. The Home Spa Bath Mat definitely fits this build.

It is created with Red Heart Strata Yarn, which is a pretty interesting yarn in itself…I talk more about it here. However what surprised me the most was how such a simple stitch pattern can create a fabric with such dimension. Not only is it visually appealing, the stitch pattern added a bounciness to the mat, which I love to have under my feet. This combination of the yarn and the stitch makes it a sturdy yet soft mat.

Home Spa Bath Mat Photo courtesy Coats & Clark

This design is easy to make a customize size to fit any room in your home, by simply ensuring that the rows and stitches remain in even or odd stitch counts, if it currently ends odd, then add or subtract to an odd number, and the same is true for even numbers. That is one of the great things about two stitch repeats, they are easily adaptable.

Personally I think that wide banded boarder really sets this design off. This is another simple two stitch repeat that adds a nice contrast to the main fabric while still complimenting it.

It might sound a little funny but this design inspired me. Working it up brought me to a little simpler, and more in depth knowledge of my craft, kind of like an awe ha moment. It may have just been timing or the Zen like nature of the stitches, but this design and yarn, are imprinted in my mind and have created a list of other items I hope to create with this same technique, stitch pattern, and yarn. If only there was enough time in the day to get to everything I want to do. I think that this is a design that you can feel good about too. It really will make a lovely addition to any room in your home.

Cross Stitch- Crochet For a Difference

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I will admit, that featuring on how crochet can make a difference locally has really helped me remained focus on what is important. Prior to working as a freelance designer and instructor I worked in public service, I there are times that I really miss the satisfaction at the end of the day knowing that you made a difference in someone’s life. So finding a way to remind myself that crocheting is a way to make an impact, is very powerful to me.

I was thinking about a simple stitch for an afghan, and my mind kept coming back to a simple cross stitch. It is made up of double crochet stitches that are, as the name states, crossed. To this stitch I work a chain in any even number, and add 1.

Row 1: Single crochet in the second chain from the hook and in each chain across, turn.

Row 2: Chain 3 (this will count as a double crochet, and not be crossed, this is the edge), [skip the next stitch, double crochet in the next stitch, now double crochet in the stitch that was skipped] repeat across, double crochet in the last stitch, turn.

Repeat Row 2 until desired length.

Final Row: Chain 1, single crochet in each stitch across.

Cross Stitch www.lindadeancrochet.com

Cross Stitch

This creates a lacy type of fabric, and works well in a wide variety of yarn types. It is a simple texture as well, creating many options of feel. One of the reasons I enjoy this stitch is that once it is set up, it almost becomes a mindless stitch pattern, since it is really pretty simple to see if I made an error, thus I do not have to count my stitches.

After working this stitch up in an afghan you may want to consider donating it to a local residential care home. In any community you may be familiar with long term care homes, or what some people call nursing homes, yet there are many smaller ones that may actually be down the street from you in a simple home. To find these locally in your community contact your local Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, this program facilitates and trains volunteers to routinely visit all sorts of care facilities to ensure that the rights of the residents are not being violated. Find your Long Term Care Ombudsman within your local Area Agency on Aging, find it here.

Planned Pooling with a V Stitch

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The trend of creating an argyle color pattern from variegated yarn is becoming quite popular, but it is not the only effect you can get from planned pooling. Pooling is when certain colors “stack” or “group” together from a variegated yarn, and as planned pooling might suggest, you can plan where the colors fall from the yarn and create a pattern.

Usually this argyle effect is created with yarn that has a color repeat of at least 6-18” (15-46cm) and using what some call the moss or linen stitch. This stitch is a single crochet and a chain 1, with all single crochet stitches worked in the chain-1 space the row below.

Planned Pooling Scarf www.lindadeancrochet.com

Planned Pooling Scarf Photo courtesy Red Heart

When color repeats are longer, let’s say 24” (61cm) argyle may not be effective, but you can use other stitches to come up with various patterns. My Planned Pooling Scarf that has just been released by Red Heart Yarn, is worked in a longer color repeats, using a V stitch (a double crochet, chain 1, double crochet) worked in the chain-1 space of the V stitch of the row below. The V stitch uses more yarn then the “moss stitch” and the chain works to help give a little flexibility in getting the color placed in the correct place. (Marly Bird offers great tips in getting the yarn to pool in her video, here).

The Neon Stripes color of Red Heart Super Saver offers a really great opportunity to create this large stitch color pattern. I have also seen this yarn worked up in a pooled pattern with shell stitches, and popcorn stitches. It creates a similar color effect, but a definitely different texture.

Planned Pooling Scarf www.lindadeancrochet.com

Planned Pooling Scarf Photo courtesy Red Heart

This design creates a fabric that is a bit lighter than the argyle, which makes for a nice drape, and the color play makes for a very fun flair. The fringe gives it a classic feel, while the pooling is quite modern. Hope you feel inspired to give it a try.